Hero
by UtSuKuShIi MoOn
Summary: AU When crime rates reach an all time high, a hero rises to take action; to bring justice to those who have been wronged. Naruto loses his parents at a young age and has taken to living on the streets. When taken in by Jiraiya, he learns to control the power born within him. Spurred by the deaths of his parents, he dons the mask of a Hero. Full summary inside. Yaoi NaruSasu
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: **AU –When crime rates reach an all time high, a hero rises to take action; to bring justice to those who have been wronged. Naruto always knew he had powers beyond human capacity, it's the reason why his father and mother were always moving when his powers got out of control. However, at the young age of nine, his parents are murdered. Left out on the streets and still unable to control his powers, he nearly wrecks havoc until an old man by the name of Jiraiya takes him in and adopts him as his son. It doesn't take long for Naruto to realize Jiraiya is like him and soon, the training begins. Spurred by the deaths of his parents, Naruto makes a commitment. He would become a hero and protect those who needed protecting. But being a hero isn't as easy as he thinks when he's facing against an organization filled with men who has powers and another hero who seeks revenge for the murder of his own parents as well. Yaoi. NaruSasu.

**Author's note: **There will be OC characters. Characters may be out of character. This fan fiction is not related to the anime/manga. It will contain boy x boy.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

**Warning: **Rated M for adult content. There is rape in this chapter.

* * *

**Chapter One: Death in the Family**

_It was happening again. His body felt hot as if his blood was boiling and ready to burst. It was painful and he didn't want it to hurt. So, he did the only thing he could do, he released the heat. A burst of white steam exuded from his body, followed by licking, red hot flames. He cried out in agony as his surrounding became engulfed in flames. He heard the poundings on his door, but he couldn't move, exhausted from the amount of energy released. The door slammed open and his father stood near the door way with his arms covering his face to avoid the heat of contact. He could hear his name being called by his father, followed by his mother's voice. He cried again, wanting nothing but to get away. He saw his father jump into the flames and toward him. He reached his hands out to his dad and his father grabbed him, tugging him out of the circling flames despite the fact that the flames had burned him. Then they ran as the fire spread through out the house. His parents and he escaped before the house began to collapse. As soon as they got out, they heard the screaming voices of neighbors and the whirling sound of sirens. The blond boy looked around, clutching his father tightly who was still holding him. Again. He had done it again. He sniffled and buried his face into the crook of his father's neck. They would have to move again...just when he was beginning to make friends..._

"Naruto?" his mother called, "Hurry now. We're leaving."

An eight year old Naruto looked over his shoulder and nodded his head. He turned back to the burnt house that use to be theirs. He sighed, ashamed that he had gotten his powers out of control again. Guilt plagued him. If things had gone wrong, he could have died or worst, he could have killed his own parents. The thought made his shiver. He didn't want that to happen. Suddenly, he felt a large palm on his shoulder. He looked up and stared into similar blue eyes. "Daddy," he whimpered, "I-I'm sorry."

His father smiled and then squatted to his level. Naruto sniffled, letting himself be tugged into a hug. He felt horrible. He wished he was never born with such powers. He wished he could have lived a normal life instead of having to constantly move, so no one would suspect him. He wanted to go to school and have friends, but he couldn't have any of that because of his stupid powers. "I hate this!" he yelled into his father's shoulders, "I wish I was never born with it!"

"Some are born with great powers and with it comes responsibility," his father said as he pulled away from the embrace, "I know it's hard, but you'll be able to control it eventually."

"No! I don't want it at all! People will hate me. They will be scared of me!"

"Naruto...you may be right, but I don't think it will be like that forever. People just aren't ready for it. But one day, I know, you will show them that your power can be used for good. You'll become a hero and the people will know."

"Why are you so sure?"

"Because you're my son. And I know you would never use that power for bad."

"I won't. I don't want to hurt anyone."

His father smiled gently at him and ruffled his hair. "I know...come on, let's go."

Naruto sniffled once more, nodding his head. As his father stood, he looped his hands into father's and together, the two walked to the car where his mother was waiting for them. His father's words had struck deep within him. While he clambered into the back seat of the car, he promised himself when he grew up, he would use this power to save people.

* * *

They had moved into the city—the grungier and poorer parts—into a tiny apartment. Although Naruto didn't like it, he knew they had to live there because of financial needs. And so, he endured it. As long as he had his parents, he could take on anything. Smiling, he began moving smaller, lighter boxes into their small apartment. He placed the box down in the living room and ran back to the door, but as he reached the doorway, he saw his mother talking to someone. Tilting his head slightly, he slowly walked over to her and grabbed her pink, long skirt. "Mommy?" he said, looking up at her.

She smiled at him and ran her fingers through his hair. "Oh, this is my son, Naruto. Naruto, say hi to our new neighbor, Mr. Haruno, and his daughter, Sakura."

Naruto looked over to the man with dull pink hair and then leveled his eyes to stare at the young girl who stood beside him. She had pink hair and the most amazing light green eyes. He immediately thought she was cute. Blushing a little, he scooted closer to his mother. "H-hi," he stuttered.

The girl, however, merely snubbed him with a tilt of her head. That made Naruto mad and he frowned, deciding she wasn't cute at all. Instead, he stuck his tongue out at her.

"Naruto!" his mother hissed.

The neighbor merely laughed, "It's alright Kushina. And please, just call me Kizashi. My wife, Mebuki, is out right now, but when she comes back, I'm sure she would love to meet you and your family."

"I would love to meet her too. Oh, and here is my husband, Minato."

Naruto glanced around himself and saw his father walking up to them. Minato stopped beside Kushina, wrapping an arm around her while he greeted the new neighbor. Introductions were made again before the neighbor and his daughter left. Naruto stared after the two, then looked up at his parents. He scrunched his nose slightly and said, "I don't like her."

Kushina sighed, shaking her head while Minato chuckled. Eyes glittering, Minato glanced down at him and ruffled his hair before telling them to continue unpacking. As they returned to unpacking, Naruto noticed another child a few doors down. The child's dark red hair stood out among the doll surrounding, but what really caught Naruto's eyes were the black circles around his eyes. He wanted to say hi, but as he was about to, an adult appeared behind the boy from the stairs.

"Gaara!" the man called out with a gentle smile.

The boy turned from his name being called and quickly ran to the man, hugging him tightly. The man picked the boy up and carried him inside, leaving Naruto a little dumbfounded. He suddenly pouted, crossing his arms across his chest. He wanted to say hi and make a new friend, but he was stolen away by someone! Huffing, he made a note to himself to remember the boy and make friends with him later. Then, he went back inside to help unpack.

It was late in the evening when they finally finished. His mother had gone off sometime in the middle of unpacking to buy some groceries, so once they were done, she started making dinner. In less than an hour, dinner was done and set. Naruto sat down on one of the chair, his feet swinging back and forth as he ate, humming in delight. "Hey, mom?" he said, mouth still full of food.

"Not talking with your mouth full," Kushina scolded.

Naruto quickly swallowed and continued, "When will I get to go to my new school?"

Kushina stared at him and then glanced over to Minato. They exchanged a silent look which Naruto knew wasn't good. He set his spoon down and frowned. "What?" he asked.

"Well, I don't know if we should put you in school," Minato said gently, "It's a little risky..."

"You mean, like what happened last time!" Naruto yelled. He was upset now, feeling all appetite lost. He stood from the chair and quickly ran to the room that would belong to him. He slammed the door shut, ignoring the voices of his mother and father. Since his bed had not been set up yet, he flopped onto the mattress instead and buried his face into his arms. He just wanted friends, but last time he had gone to school, he nearly set that on fire too. The tears were threatening to spill, but he fought them back with all his strength. He was a big boy now, which meant he didn't cry. Naruto sniffled, biting back a sob.

"Naruto?" his father's muffled door came through the door, "Can I come in?"

Naruto sucked in a breath and exhaled slowly. He didn't reply, remaining silent to make his father understand that he was clearly upset. However, his father opened the door and stepped inside anyway. He knew that would happen. Naruto pouted some more, sitting up and keeping his back facing his dad. He wouldn't let up, even if his dad begged him.

"Naruto, I know you want to go school to make friends, but we just want you to be safe. So, we were thinking of home schooling you." Suddenly, his dad was sitting next to him and pulling him under his big arms, "Besides, it's Summer vacation right now, so there will be kids everywhere. Why don't tomorrow you go down to the park and maybe you'll make some friends?"

Blinking away the tears, Naruto glanced up his dad. It didn't sound like such a bad plan. Finally, he relented and nodded his head. "Okay," he said, "Does that mean I get to bring them over sometimes?"

"Of course."

Smiling brightly, he hugged Minato tightly. "Thank you!"

* * *

The next day, he found his father gone, but his mother was in the kitchen. He later found out that Minato had gone out looking for a job. He pouted, disappointed since he had wanted his dad to accompany him to the park. He was grumbling to himself and about to walked back into his room when Kushina stopped him.

"Naruto, your dad mentioned something about going to the park," she said, "Want me to take you?"

He beamed a smile at her and nodded his head vigorously. "Yeah!"

"Alright, let me pack some snacks first."

After his mother had packed a basket full of food, the two of them headed down the flight of stairs. Although the neighborhood they lived in was of social-economic status, the people seemed nice. They greeted everyone, whether they were new or old neighbors. Naruto had found that interesting. Just then, he saw the park across the street. He wanted to dart for it, but then a woman got in his way. Frowning slightly, he looked up and saw a woman with blond hair.

"You must be Kushina," the lady said, "I'm Mebuki, Kizashi's wife. Sorry I didn't get to introduce myself earlier."

"No problem at all. Nice to meet you," Kushina said, then patted Naruto on the head, "This is my son Naruto. Naruto, why don't you go on ahead? I'll be right here."

"M'kay," he said and began to run.

"Look left and right before crossing!" he heard his mom yell.

"Okay!" Naruto skidded to a stop at the intersection. He glanced to his left, right, then left again. When he deemed no cars were coming, he walked across the street. The first thing he noticed with the park was that it wasn't really old. The jungle gym looked a little hazardous with almost as if it would break anytime and the swing set only had two swings that look okay to ride on while the other four were either broken or wrapped around the top beam. It didn't look pleasant to play in. His eyes darted around until it fell on the only object which seemed playable, the sandbox. Then he realized someone was already playing in the sandbox. Dark red hair came into view and Naruto smiled. It was the same boy from yesterday and he was alone. Biting his lower lip, Naruto slowly walked toward the boy. He stopped in front of the other child and said, "Hi."

The boy looked up, staring at him warily. "Hi..." the boy replied quietly.

Naruto held his hand out to him, "My name is Naruto. We live in the same apartment complex."

"I know..."

"Oh...well...um...what's you name?"

The boy seem to stare at him for a minute longer before he took Naruto's hand and shook it. A slow smile formed on the boy's face, "Gaara."

"Nice to meet you Gaara," Naruto said with a grin, "Wanna be my friend?"

"Sure."

And that was how Naruto gained his first friend in the new city he was living in. The months after that, he and Gaara grew close. Gaara often spent time at his place and even slept over. They would talk all night long until his mother told them to go to sleep, but even though they told her they would, the both of them would giggle and begin to whisper through the night until sleep over took them. Naruto began to grow comfortable with his life. His dad had even found a job and his mother stayed home to take care of him. Of course, he was home schooled, so he wasn't free from homework. Still, he actually liked being home schooled. At least he got to be there to greet Gaara when he came back from school. And then there was Sakura, the girl next door. She eventually got over her snobbish attitudes and the two of them sort of became friends. They didn't talk all that much like he and Gaara, but he considered her a friend because she often came over to visit him too. Eventually, Christmas rolled around and his family spent their first Christmas in the new city. He got a new jacket, an orange and blue one from his parents. Naruto smiled, holding it tightly to himself. He would take good care of it. And then, his ninth birthday rolled around. So far, his powers hadn't lost control, so when he blew his candles out, he wished with all his might that it would remain like that forever. When Gaara had asked him what he wished for, he told his friend it was a secret. Grinning, he took a big bite from his sliced cake, ignoring the pout on Gaara's face. Life was good though.

But then the bad news came, well, good news for his parents, but bad news for him. They were moving, which meant he was going to leave behind his best friend. Naruto didn't want that. He stomped his feet, crying out and then running out of the house. It was fifteen minutes later when Gaara found him sitting in the same sandbox they had established their friendship.

"Your mom and dad are worried," Gaara said, plopping down beside him.

"I don't care. They can worry all they want," Naruto mumbled.

"...it's nice to have parents that worry."

"...don't your dad worry about you?"

"Not him. He doesn't care...he only cares about-...my uncle though, he's like a dad to me. He cares about me and he loved me. I wouldn't ever want to cause him to worry."

"...I get your point, but...I mean, we only lived here for a year!"

"What do you mean?"

"We're moving Gaara. That means...I won't be able to play with you anymore."

"...hmmm, but we can write letters or call each other can't we?"

"You're okay with it!?"

"Of course not! But it's good that your parents are moving. It's that you won't be living in this heap of dump anymore. I'll be sad that you're leaving, but maybe you can visit or if you tell me your new address, I can visit you. I'll ask Uncle Yashamaru to bring me there. And...as long as you don't forget me, I'm good."

"I won't forget you. You're my best friend. You won't forget me either?"

"No. You're...you're my first friend, that's why, so I won't ever forget you."

The two smiled at once another. Naruto was the first to initiate the hug, pulling Gaara into him. They hugged for a while longer before Gaara insisted Naruto go home. Reluctantly, he stood and helped Gaara up. Together, they returned to the apartment where Naruto's parents were patiently waiting for him to come home.

In the next two weeks, his family packed and were ready to move to their new house. They were actually moving a little farther away from the city where the pharmaceutical company his father worked for was located in. He still didn't like the idea, but Gaara did tell him they would stay in contact. Sighing, Naruto clambered inside the car. He looked out the window, noticing Gaara's figure running toward him. Blinking, he opened the window just as the car started. He hadn't noticed it earlier, but Sakura was also running behind Gaara, trying her best to keep up. Poking his head out, he waved to the two friends he befriended. Just then, he noticed Gaara throw something at him. He reached his hand out and grabbed the object. He opened his palm and stared at the charm bracelet. The charm bracelet had three noticeable items, a sakura flower, a gourd, and a fox. Naruto chuckled. "Thanks!" he yelled, "I'll keep in contact!"

"Don't forget us!" Sakura yelled.

"Visit sometimes!" Gaara yelled after Sakura.

Grinning, Naruto gave one last wave before sitting back inside the car. He slipped the bracelet onto his wrist and stared at it. Bringing his hand to his chest, he held the bracelet tightly, embracing it close to himself. He wouldn't ever forget the two friends he made. He would come back and visit them again.

At the new house, Naruto marveled at the sight of it. There was a large front yard and back yard. The house was two stories and huge. He blinked, turning his eyes over to his mother. When she looked at him, she burst into a fit of giggles.

"Do you like it?" she asked him.

"It's huge!" Naruto exclaimed in excitement and then ran toward the house.

"Be careful!"

"Un!"

Naruto smiled and ran inside where he found his father setting down a large box. He to his father and tackled him, surprising him and nearly tumbling him over. His father, however, caught himself and reached for him, picking him up and twirling him in a circle before setting him back down. Naruto was out of breath while laughing. He brought his glistening gaze to his father and beamed him the biggest smile he could give. "We're going to live here?" he asked eagerly.

"That's right. It's actually on the work property. Every employee has to live here, especially those who work in the pharmaceutical area. See that building over there?" Minato asked, pointing out the window.

Naruto looked in the direction of the pointed figure and saw a tall, white building. It nearly reached the sky. He nodded his head, "Yeah."

"That's where I work. I'm going to be making new medicine to help people."

"You are?"

"Yup."

"I want to help people too!"

"I'm sure you can."

"Can I...use my powers to help people?"

Minato smiled gently, bending onto one knee and placing both hands on Naruto's tiny shoulders, "Yes, definitely."

Naruto smiled, but it faded quickly," But...I can't control it."

"Daddy and Mommy will help you. You have to believe in yourself Naruto. You'll definitely learn to control it one day."

"M'kay." He hugged his dad, feeling the strong, big arms wrap around him into a protective embrace. He was safe and he would always be safe as long as he had his parents. Nothing could ever go wrong. He would grow up to become someone who could help people like his father and he wouldn't be hated for having stranger powers. Everything would be okay.

* * *

It was December again, Christmas Eve. Naruto was excited for tomorrow and he couldn't sleep. He wished it was Christmas already. Anxiousness filled him. No longer able to wait, he climbed out of bed and walked to the door. As he turned and doorknob and opened the door, he heard something breaking from downstairs and then his mother's muffled voice. He was quickly running down the stairs, but going as quietly as he could when multiple loud bangs echoed inside the house. Naruto froze on the stairs, a cold dread enveloping him. His body trembled as he took one step at a time. The moment his tiny feet set foot on the bottom step, he heard his mother's painful cries. Breathing heavily, he silently skulked to the door opening to the living room. The door creaked open, revealing him to the awful sight. Splayed across the coffee table was his mother, hands bound and mouth gagged as a man with sleeked gray hair pounded into her. The man was smiling crazily and enjoying it as he made tiny cuts on his mother. Naruto wanted to cry, but he couldn't find his voice. Suddenly, his gaze met with his mother. He knew fro the look in her eyes, the terrified look and pleading eyes, she had wanted him to run. She wanted him to run away. Naruto took a step back, but that was when his eyes fell on his father's dead body with red liquid pooling under his body from several wholes in his body. A tiny whimper escaped his lips and caught the ears of the man raping his mother. The rapist turned and looked at him. A slow smile crept along his face.

"Kabuto...Kakuzu...looks like we have ourselves a little intruder," the man said, licking his lips as he thrust his hips, chuckling when Kushina wailed.

"Hm?" a man with glasses appeared and raised a brow at him, "Ah, I think that's their son." The man with the glasses sighed. "Hidan, would you fucking hurry up. I don't want to watch you fuck that woman...worst, doing it in front of the child."

"That's the best part, Kabuto," Hidan, currently the rapist, said.

"He won't listen," another voice said.

"Kazuku..." Kabuto whispered, "Hidan...let's go."

"What? I'm not even finish," Hidan complained, "Couldn't you wait a little longer?"

"We're not going to detour the plan just because you can't keep your little fucking dick inside your pants," Kabuto growled, "Now let's go before the cops arrive."

"Tch, fine," Hidan scowled, pulling himself out of Kushina and tucking his cock away, "A pity I'm going to have to kill her."

Naruto watched in frozen silence as Hidan raised the gun in his hand and shot his mother two times in the abdomen. His body trembled in fear and rage. Suddenly, he felt the burning flames inside him grow, licking at his finger tips. He let out a scream filled with agony and rage. The flames enveloped him, bursting into multiple directions. He could hear the men screaming, calling him a monster, but he didn't care. His parents were dead. His heroic father and his gentle mother. They were dead. He screamed again, tears burning his eyes as the flames grew. He could hear the feet scrambling of the men as they ran from the house. He heard the start of the car ignition and then the squeal of tires as the car drove off. Still, he cried, unable to move. And then warm, familiar arms wrapped around him, hushing him. Naruto stopped crying and stared into his mother's gentle, soft eyes. "Mo-mommy," he whimpered.

"Run, Naruto," she whispered in a broken voice, "You have to live."

"N-no! Mommy!"

"Na...ruto...run...go...don't look back!"

His mother pushed him toward the door. Even without looking, Naruto knew the house was burning because of his outburst. It was burning everything, trailing along the curtains and wrapping around his father's lifeless body. Soon, his mother would be swallowed by it too, but she was more concerned with getting him to safety. She pushed him again and he stumbled out of the house. Her eyes pleaded him and then he turned and ran. He was barely down the sidewalk when he bumped into someone. Thinking it was the perpetrators, Naruto fought, kicking and screaming.

"What the-oomph! Hey!" yelled a young voice.

Opening his eyes, he stared into block, onyx orbs. "He-help," Naruto whispered.

"Itachi?" called out a female voice, "The noises?"

The young teen holding him, glanced up and stared in shock at the burning house. He released his hold on Naruto and turned to the woman. "Mother! A house is on fire!"

"What?!" the woman exclaimed, "Call the cops! Fire department!"

Soon, the whole street was crowded with curious neighbors. The sky was filled with blinking red and blue lights and the sound of sirens. All the while the ruckus rumbled around him, Naruto sat back, watching with dead emotionless eyes as the firemen hosed the charred house down. After the fire was put out, the firemen brought out two blackened bodies. Naruto gasped and ran. He escaped hands that tried to grab him, running to the bodies. A voice told him to stop, but he didn't listen and grabbed onto the charred bodies, crying loudly. He could hear voices around him, cooing and trying to pry his small hands away from the bodies.

"Poor kid," said one voice, "He's the son isn't he?"

"Yeah...I heard he has no other relatives," said another voice.

"Looks like he's going to be put into an orphanage," added another voice.

He whimpered at the suggestion. He didn't want to be put into an orphanage. He only wanted his parents back. As arms pried him away from his parents. He fought back, but he was small and weak. Eventually, he was placed inside the back of a police car. He stared dazedly at his hands, noticing the crusted dark blood on his arms and shirt. His mother's blood...and then he was crying again because he knew his parents weren't coming back and he was all alone in the world.

* * *

**A/N: **Another Naruto fanfic...haven't actually written one in a long time. XD So this is an AU. There was a lot of time skip in this one, but only because I had to get through a year in one chapter. I didn't want to spend so much time on Naruto's childhood. The next chapter is going to be Naruto as a kid still, but there will be a time skip and Naruto will be a teenager. So, yeah...read and review!


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note: **There will be OC characters. Characters may be out of character. This fan fiction is not related to the anime/manga. It will contain boy x boy. Forgot to mention, this is a NaruSasu and SasuNaru. They're reversible.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

**Warning: **Rated M for adult content. There is rape in this chapter.

* * *

**Chapter Two: Donning the Mask**

_Blood. All he could see was blood and then there was the horrible stench, the stench of burning bodies. Who was on the floor? He couldn't tell, but it hurt. He could hear himself crying, but why? Why was he crying? And then he saw the faces of the bodies. His father and mother lying lifelessly. And then he remembered...his parents were dead. _

Naruto woke up screaming with the chill of the cold night biting into his skin. Shivering, he wrapped the oversized jacket around himself and cuddled closer to the wall of the dark alley. It was only two years ago when he witnessed his own parents' death. He was taken to an orphanage, however, it turned out the orphanage was full of pedophiles, molesting young children who couldn't protect themselves. He ran away in the darkness of the night and like he expected, they never went in search for him. Why would they? After all, it's only one less mouth to feed. He shivered again. For months he had lived on the streets, living by its rules. It was everyone for themselves. He couldn't trust anyone because they could either back stab him, leaving him for dead or turning him over to the black market for money and where he would be sold into prostitution in a different country. He had to watch his own back. No one was ever going to lend him a hand, not even the good citizens who passed by him everyday. The cops? They would just turn him in to the orphanage where the cries of raped and molested children were never heard. Yeah, he had to avoid the cops too. Here in the city, there was no place for rest. He had to keep moving or he was dead. He had only survived this long because he adapted well in any environment; moving around a lot when his parents were still alive helped since he was constantly in new environments. He would pick scraps of food from garbage, only the good ones. Observing the restaurants, he knew when they threw out left overs or tossed out food that was still in good conditioned. He knew the best places for shelters and even knew which people he could beg money from. But he also knew that if he couldn't get anything by the end of the week, food or money, he would have to turn to the basic money maker on the streets: prostitution. So far, he was able to avoid it and he wanted it to remain like that. At eleven years old, he was already facing the dark side of society.

Blowing into his hands, he rubbed them together for friction. He would use his powers, but he was afraid to use it. Although it no longer activated wildly on its own, he still couldn't control it. He was rubbing his arms when he heard the click of footsteps. His eyes flickered over to the dark alley behind him. From the shadows, three men approached him with twisted smiles.

"This the kid?" asked one of the men.

"Yeah, the one they say they always see running around. The blond hair and blue eyes are very popular right now, so if he take him and hand him over they'd pay good money..." said the second one.

"Hmm...not bad...get him!" yelled the third.

Naruto scrambled to his feet and started running. The three men chased after him, but he was smaller and faster, darting through people, weaving around bodies and entering tiny alleys. He climbed onto a brick wall and ran along it till he reached another part of the city. He jumped down from the wall and accidentally landed onto someone.

"Hey! What the fuck?" the voice yelled.

Fear thrumming through his veins, he got to his feet and tried to run, but a hand reached out and grabbed him by the shirt, pulling him back. He was forcefully turned around. Naruto stared into cold, bloodshot black eyes. His eyes darted down and noticed the tattoo on the man's neck. He sucked in a breath when he saw the symbol, a musical note. Naruto bit the inside of his cheek. He had just ran into a member of the Otogakure Gang.

"Hmmm, blond and blue eyes. I think the black market is paying high price for looks like yours..." the man said with a grin, "Ooh, sounds nice. Well, guess I should tell boss."

Naruto began to struggle, but to no avail. He was thrown over the man's shoulder and carried like a sack of potatoes. He tried to kicked his feet in hopes of kneeing his captor, but the man stopped his every movements. By the time the man neared the end of the alley, Naruto was out of breath. It was over. He was doomed. He was going to be sold off into the black market where they would sell him to another country and used as human trafficking material. He squeezed his eyes tightly. He didn't wanted to be sold into prostitution. He screamed, letting out a burst of rage. The swirling flames inside him leaked and engulfed him and the captor. He could hear the man screaming, but he didn't dare open his eyes. The screaming was drifting further away, but the heat of the flame continued to consume him. He always knew he would die like this, eaten by the very power inside himself. It wasn't so bad. At least he would be able to see his mother and father again. Death sounded good.

Suddenly, a pair of hands were on his shoulders and the heat surrounding him fizzled. Naruto opened his eyes and gasped. He jumped away from the hands and whirled around to see an old man with long white, spiky hair and two red tattoo streaks below his eyes. The man slowly grinned and then picked him up, holding him under his arms. Naruto struggled, but the old man was strong. He tried to call upon the flames again, but they never came. To be exact, he felt a looming calm over himself. He didn't know why. Yet, despite the fact that he did not fear the old man, he still struggled. He didn't know where he was being taken and for all he knew, he could just be handed over to the nearest black market. So he continued to struggle until all his energy was used up and he went limp, deciding to let fate play its role. He expected to be sold away, never to see the light of day again. What he didn't expect though, was to be taken a nice apartment and thrown onto the floor while the man wandered off, leaving him alone to sit in the empty apartment. Blinking, Naruto looked around. Then it dawned on him what the old man was planning. Instead of selling him, the old man was going to use him instead. He shuddered at the thought. _No!_ He thought as he stood up wobbly. He needed to get out of here. He ran toward the door, but was immediately stopped again. His feet lifted from the wooden floor and dangled in mid air as he picked up and carried to the bathroom. Naruto eyes widen in fear. He was going to be deflowered in the bathroom! He began to sob, begging the man not to rape him. And then suddenly, he was dropped, falling into a bathtub filled with water. His clothes were drenched and sticking to his skin as he stared open eyed at the man standing outside of the tub.

"Who the hell said I was going to rape you, boy?" the old man said with a raised brow, "Living on the streets has really made you egotistical, eh? Not everyone wants to touch a boy like you...especially when you reek! Now take a bath...I'm sure you know how to, and when you're done, put on those clothes over there and come to the kitchen. I'll have dinner ready."

With that, the old man turned and closed the door, leaving Naruto dripping wet and baffled. Slowly, he clambered out of the tub, letting the water drip from his clothes and pool onto the floor around his feet. Unsure of what to do, he stripped his clothes and stepped back into the tub. It had been a long time since he had a bath. Sighing, he soaked into the hot water and began to scrub himself. Once he was clean from all the dirt and sweat of nights spent outside, he got out of the bath and dried himself with the towel hanging on the rack. Then, he grabbed the folded clothes on the rack stand. Unfolding it, he stared at a large t-shirt and shorts. Briefly, he wondered how they would fit. Shrugging, he tugged the shirt over his head. It draped beyond his knees and the hem of the collar drooping over to one side of his shoulder, exposing it. Frowning, he fumbled with the shorts and slipped it on, but it immediately fell back down, circling around his feet. He blinked and then huffed. He tugged the shorts back up and used the excess hem of the shirt to tie around the shorts to keep it in place. Once he deemed it unloose, he exited the bathroom. His feet padded against cold wooden floors as he made his way over to the kitchen where two large bowls of ramen were placed on the table. The aroma of fresh food caused him stomach to growl in anticipation. Just then, the old man appeared from behind the wall separating the kitchen and dining area.

"Done?" the man asked.

Naruto nodded his head.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Sit here." The old man pointed to a seat.

Silently, Naruto obeyed and walked over to the chair. He sat on it and stared at the food in front of him. He licked his lips. He hadn't had warm food in a long time too. He gulped slowly. "I...I can eat?" he asked timidly.

The man laughed heartily, patting his back roughly, "Of course!"

He didn't care of the food was poisoned or not. He wouldn't mind dying while eating freshly cooked food. Picking up the chopsticks, he plunged it into the noodles and ate it with slurping noises. He was done in minutes, stuffed and satisfied. Leaning back in the chair, he let a small smile appear on his face for the first time in two years.

"Good?" the old man asked, startling Naruto from his daze.

He sat up quickly, letting his gaze drift over to the old man. He nodded his head and then dropped his gaze. He couldn't believe he had dropped his guard. Biting his lower lip, he fiddled with his fingers as the man finished his bowl of noodle.

"So, what's your name?" the old man asked.

Naruto glanced back to him, flicking his eyes quickly, then bringing them back down. "Naruto," he whispered quietly.

"Hnnn...just like Minato and Kushina to name you that. You know, they named you after the heroic character in the book I wrote."

Frowning, Naruto turned his full attention to the old man. The way he spoke was as if he knew his parents. "How..." he began, but let his question drift.

"Surprised? Your father was an apprentice of mine. When he told me he and Kushina were naming you Naruto after the character in my story, I laughed. It was almost as if I named you myself! Hah! Ahh, but then I heard about what happened...I tried to look for you at the orphanage they put you in, but when I went to check, they said you already got adopted. I searched everywhere...and then...who would have thought I would find in you in the midst of being kidnapped and using your powers uncontrollably?" the old man said with raised brows.

"You know that I have...powers?"

"Of course. Your father often talked to me because I, too, am similar to you. Where do you think he got the information on training you?"

"I just thought...he knew..."

The old man laughed loudly, causing him to flinch. He cowered slightly, but then a large hand ruffled his hair. They were big and warm, almost seemingly protective like his father's. Bringing his gaze up, Naruto stared at the other. "What's...your name?" he asked hesitantly.

"Eh? I forgot to introduce myself? Ahh, I'm Jiraiya...and don't worry," Jiraiya said softly with gentle eyes, "from now on, I am going to take care of you. No more living on the streets. And, I'll teach you how to use your powers correctly. I'm sorry I couldn't come to you earlier, but now that I have finally found you, you're safe."

Those words broke the ice wall that Naruto had formed around his heart. Tears streamed down his face as he began to sob loudly. After two years, he finally found someone who cared for him, someone who had the same warm protective hand like his father. And he was happy...happy to know there was someone there.

* * *

_Five Years Later..._

"NARUTO!" yelled a feminine voice, startling him from his nice slumber.

Naruto's eyes blinked open. He knew that voice and it meant trouble. He struggled to his feet, tangling them up in blankets and nearly tripping, but catching himself before he fell face flat. He stumbled forward, turning straight for the window. He ran for it, opened it, and lifted one feet, slamming it onto the window sill. He needed to get out of there fast! His body was half way out when the door to his bedroom slammed open and a woman with large breasts and long blond hair burst into room. Naruto looked over his shoulder and could literally see steam emitting from her. "Crap," he muttered. He swiveled around and lunged for freedom, not even caring that his bedroom was on the tenth floor. It wasn't like he couldn't land on his feet. Jiraiya had taught him a lot in the past five years. However, he was barely out the window when two hand grabbed hold of him and yanked him back inside. He screamed while grabbing onto the window sill, preventing her from pulling him farther inside, "Nooooooooo!"

"You little brat! Don't think I will let you get away this time!" yelled the woman, "You're attending school whether you like or not! Damn it! Stop...struggling! Jiraiya! Get in here now!"

"I don't wanna go to school, you old hag!"

"Old...hag?! Ooooh, you're getting it this time Naruto!"

"Hm? Tsunade, leave the boy alone. If he doesn't want to go to school, it's fine. Not like they teach kids much nowadays," Jiraiya said in a sleepy voice from the door frame.

"Hah?! You wanna say that again, you old man? It's no wonder you're such an idiot! But I'm not letting you influence this boy into stupidity as well! Na-ru-to U-zu-ma-ki! You let got of that window sill right now!" yelled the woman.

Naruto knew when Tsunade said his name in such a fashion, it meant serious business. Sighing in defeat, he released his hold and allowed him be yanked toward the woman. It was all over now. Grumbling, he listened to her lecture her as he got ready to go to school. Today was going to be his first day, but he dreaded it. He hadn't gone to school for a long time. After all, his parents did ended up home schooling him.

Pouting, he dressed in a black shirt and orange skinny jeans. He slipped on a pair of flats and grabbed his bag, swinging it over his shoulder. He waved goodbye to a half asleep Jiraiya and followed Tsunade out of the building. Huffing, he trudged along after her, getting into the car. Still pouting, he gave her the silent treatment, but it seemed she didn't care. Actually, it was more like she was reveling in silence. Thirty minutes, they arrived at the school where Tsunade worked at the principle. He grumbled under his breath and got out of the car, following after Tsunade. She showed him around and then led him to his first classroom, handing him his schedule. Blinking, he stared at the piece of paper before taking it. He sighed again which got a good smack to the head from Tsunade. Growling, he glared at her. "I hate this," he grumbled.

"Too bad," Tsunade said, "I'm making sure you have the proper education and not just be some lazy kid lying around in the house. Make friends."

She gave him a pointed look and then turned on her heels and left him by the classroom door. He stared after her, contemplating if he should just skip school, but then he thought of the consequences. She would definitely hunt him down. He shuddered as the memory of last time when he disobeyed her and he got his punishment. He didn't want to go through that again. Reluctantly, he opened the door and stepped inside the classroom he would be sharing with new classmates. There was already a few students sitting inside and some turned around to look at him, but then promptly ignored him when they didn't recognize him. Sighing inwardly, Naruto force his feet to move, walking over to the teacher.

The male teacher glanced at him and smiled, "You must be the new student, Uzumaki Naruto. Kind of odd for a students to be entering in the middle of the school year, but I guess the principle pulled some strings. My name is Iruka and I'm your homeroom teacher. You don't have to add the "mister" in front of my name. Why don't you wait up here for a while. When class begins, I want you to introduce yourself."

"Okay," Naruto said. He turned around, watching as the class slowly start to fill with students and began to get louder as chattering among friends started. He dropped his gaze, remembering Gaara and Sakura. They were his two friends he would always remember. The bracelet he got from them was still wrapped around his wrist. It was the one object he made sure never to let go of. Of course, after the whole incident with his parents, he had lost contact with them. He did try to visit the place again, but Jiraiya told him the place had been knocked down. It was suppose to be rebuilt, but they never did rebuild the apartment complex. Naruto sighed quietly to himself. He wanted to see them again. He wondered if Sakura grew prettier or if Gaara ever moved in with his uncle instead. There were so many questions he wanted to ask them and so many things he wanted to tell them. If only-

"Naruto?!" exclaimed a female voice.

His head lifted from his name being called. Blinking, he stared into light green eyes. Eyes widening, he glanced up. He knew that shade of pink hair anywhere. "Sakura?" he whispered. Suddenly, she was in front of him, grabbing him by the hand and dragging him out of the classroom, despite the fact that everyone was watching them. The door closed behind him and she turned him around, eyes wide like saucers as she stared at him. It was like she just saw a ghost. Naruto raised a brow, but smiled.

"You're alive?" she whispered quietly.

"Um...yeah?" Naruto replied.

"But...we heard on the news. Your parents...the house..."

"Ah, I escaped."

"So where were you?! You just disappeared off from the face of the Earth! Gaara and I tried to find away to contact you, but when we couldn't, we thought maybe...maybe you..." Sakura choked back a sob.

"Oh. I'm sorry, a lot was...going on and...I couldn't contact you or Gaara. Believe me, if I could, I would have, but..." Naruto's sentence trailed as he remembered the night being taken to the orphanage. The first night there was horrible. Inside the tiny cell they called a room, a man entered and touched him in places where he shouldn't have. He made Naruto take off his pants and touch himself while he watched. It was disgusting, seeing the man pant and huff over the sight of him. Naruto closed his eyes, not wanting to remember the horrid memories of staying there before he ran away. Living on the streets was no different, but at least he avoided selling his body for money. "A lot of shit happened," Naruto finished, his eyes fluttering open to stare at a pair of confused green eyes. He smiled at Sakura. "I'm glad to see you...but, where's Gaara?"

Sakura glanced away at his question. A terrible feeling lurked inside him from the expression she made. Naruto placed his hands on her shoulder. "What happened to Gaara?" he asked, almost desperately. Gaara was, after all, his best friend.

She frowned, but answered, "Gaara...I don't know. After we heard about your house catching on fire and the death of your parents, Gaara was frantic. He wanted to go looking for you, but we were kids. What could we do? We tried asking around, like the police station, but they shooed us off and since you never contacted us, we thought the worst. Gaara, though...he took it the worst than me. He became really depressed and I tried to cheer him up. It kind of worked, but then...a few months later, somewhere in the middle of the year after the incident, Gaara's uncle was murdered. That really broke him since, you know, his uncle was like a father to him, more than his biological father anyways. Gaara became withdrawn. I wanted to help, but then my parents decided to move. I tried to go back to visit a year later, but when I went, the building was torn down. I don't know where Gaara is or what happened to him...I'm sorry."

Naruto shook his head. He knew the feeling of losing the parents who cared for you. No doubt Gaara was devastated. Not only that, but Gaara's uncle was murdered, just like his parents. He frowned, finding it a little too coincidental that Gaara's uncle and his parents were murdered and closely in time too. Shaking his head, he removed his hand from Sakura's shoulders. "Thanks...I'm going to try looking for him," he said.

"Okay...by the way...is that the bracelet Gaara and I gave you?" she asked, glancing down to his wrist.

Smiling, he nodded his head. He lifted his arm and showed her the worn down charm bracelet. "Never got rid of it. It's very precious to me," he said.

Sakura giggled, "I can't believe you kept it."

"Of course I would. It's my precious gift from my two close friends. It's also...what kept me going; kept me alive."

"...I'm so glad you're alive," Sakura whispered, pulling him into a hug, "If Gaara was here, I'm sure he would be glad too. You have to find him."

"I will. I promise," he said and wrapped his arms around her.

They remained like that for some time until someone cleared their throat. Sakura pulled away fast, a blush tinging her cheeks. Iruka was standing by the door with a raised brow. Chuckling sheepishly, Naruto stepped back and allowed Sakura to enter first before following after her. He walked up to the front of the class with Iruka following closely behind. The bell rang and class began.

"Students, I want to introduce a new student," Iruka announced.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto. Please take care of me," Naruto greeted, bowing slightly.

"Your seat is over there, behind Kiba. Kiba, raise your hand."

A male student wearing a puffy, fur jacket, sitting near the window raised his hand. Nodding his head, Naruto walked over to his seat and sat down. Right when Iruka was about to speak, the door slid open with a loud thud. All eyes turned to the figure standing by the back door way. Naruto stared at the boy who stalked inside the classroom, earphones still plugged I his ears. In the distance, Naruto could hear little sighs of whisper and swooning. He turned his gaze, noticing that Sakura was one of them. He raised a brow, turning his attention back to the tall, dark figure with black, raven hair. Suddenly, he was staring into black, onyx orbs, broody like the storm on a midsummer night. It was beautiful, yet at the same time imbued with a familiar sadness. Naruto was so entranced by the eyes, he hadn't even realized the boy was standing in front of him.

"You're sitting in my spot," the boy said with a scowl.

Blinking, Naruto tilted his head. "The-"

"Since you're always late, Sasuke, I've taken the opportunity to give your seat away," Iruka said, "You're now sitting in the seat beside him."

The boy, Sasuke, glanced over to the teacher then lazily drifted his eyes back to Naruto. Gulping, Naruto looked away. He didn't want to make an enemy on the first day.

"Whatever," Sasuke mumbled and turned, plopping himself in the seat beside him.

He didn't think the conversation would end so well, but at least he avoided a confrontation. Sighing in relief, Naruto turned his attention back to the teacher as class started. Lecture droned on with small breaks in between for teachers who change class. All the while this happened, Naruto realized that even though Sakura was his childhood friend and was even glad that he came back, she didn't hang out with him. It made him despise her a little, but he also understood that it had been a long time and Sakura had new friends now. When lunch came around, Naruto heard the chair beside him squeak. He looked over to Sasuke and found him walking out of the classroom with Sakura and a blind friend of hers following after him. Naruto frowned, wondering what was so amazing about the guy.

"So, you know Sakura...one of the Queens?" asked a voice.

Turning around in his seat, Naruto looked at Kiba who had turned around in his seat to face him. Naruto shrugged, "Um, kind of? We lived in the same neighborhood, I guess. I knew her when we were kids...childhood friends."

"Wooow...bet she's totally different now, huh?"

"Um, not really."

"Oh, well, you'll see soon enough how she's changed."

"What do you mean by Queen?"

"Hm? Oh, that...well...let me tell you the gist of this school. You gotta live by its rules if you wanna survive. The guy that sits next to you, Uchiha Sasuke, also known as King. He's the most popular guy in the school, even among the seniors and the males. Rumor has it he lost his virginity at thirteen years old to a woman who was waaaaaay older than him. Who knows if that's true though. The guy is such a cold bastard, I wonder why girls go for him. Anyways, he doesn't have a clique, but he's strong by himself. I heard he had caught the attention of a girl who was dating some gangster and it pissed the gangster off. The guy sent some of his men to beat Sasuke up, but Sasuke beat them up instead. One to twenty. Nearly killed the guys too. That's why he's known as the King of this school. Now, Sakura...she and her friend, Ino, the one who was next to her, are known as the Queens. You don't approach them. They have to approach you. You don't talk to them unless they talk to you. They'll ignore you if you do. That's why I'm telling you, you'll see your childhood friend as who she really is."

"I dont-"

"Next, that guy over there with the long hair is Hyuga Neji. Class president and is bound to be student council president. Smart guy, but doesn't really interact with others. Due to certain circumstances, he's living with his cousins. The girl next to him with long black hair is his cousin, Hyuga Hinata. Sweetest. Girl. Ever. Compared to the Queens, she's way better and way cuter. She cares about people, but be careful because Neji is really protective of her. And then the other girl next to Neji is Tenten. She's actually a fan of Neji's. Nothing really special about her except she is his follower. Next, that guy that's sleeping, he's Nara Shikamaru. The guy's always sleeping. Beside him is Akimichi Choji. He and Shikamaru are childhood friends. Truth to be said, Ino was apart of their group too, but she left them, stating they were losers. Ah, and guy in the green suit is Rock Lee. Um...he's pretty normal except that he has a big crush on Sakura and isn't shy of showing it. She rejects him all the time, but he still tries...gotta give him props. And then there's Shino, the Bug Collector. People says he likes to collect bugs...creepy. And that's about it. Oh, and there's me! I'm just your typical average guy...but I am a dog lover."

"Um...okay?"

"If you wanna hear the latest gossip, you just ask me. I hear everything. Oh and avoid the seniors. They like to bully the underclassmen."

Naruto blinked several times, eventually nodding his head so Kiba could leave him alone. The rest of the day went on without trouble. He did notice, however, that Sasuke never came back after lunch break. He was curious, but didn't bother about it. After all, it wasn't his business what the other students did. When school finally ended, Naruto was the first out of his seat. He was barely out the door when an arms wove into his, linking onto him on both sides. Raising a brow, he glanced to his left, then his right. Sakura and Ino each stood beside him with wicked looking smiles. He gulped, not liking the look of it. From behind him, inside the class, he could hear Kiba whistling. Naruto closed his eyes, squeezing them tight as he was dragged away by the two Queens of the school. They brought him to the back of the school where Ino began to grill him about how he knew Sakura. Unsure of how to respond, his eyes would flicker to Sakura, silently asking her if it was okay, but she gave no indication whatsoever if he was allowed to say anything. Eventually, Ino grew bored and waved them off. Naruto was once again left alone with Sakura. He looked over to the pink hair girl and asked, "What was that about?"

"She saw me dragging you out of the classroom. Of course she would curious. Hey...thanks for not telling her the truth about...you know, where I use to live and all. The slums isn't a great place to show off," Sakura said, turning to him, "And...I'm sorry I can't hang out with you like I use to. The students of this school, if they ever find out where you came from or where you use to live, they'll use it against you, ostracize you and all. You gotta blend in."

"I kinda thought that would happen," he said with a shrug, "Well, good luck."

"You too."

Sakura turned and left, waving to him before disappearing out of sight. Sighing, he dragged his feet back to the parking lot where Tsunade told him to wait. A few minutes later, she arrived and sent him home, but had to go back to the school. Stepping inside the apartment complex, he got in the elevator and hit the tenth floor button. As the door slid close, dinging, he leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes. His thoughts went back to Gaara. He frowned, remembering what Sakura told him. Gaara's uncle was murdered...his parents were murdered. Although Minato and Kushina never really interacted with Gaara's uncle, they did meet before. Actually, it was Gaara's uncle who helped his father find a job. Naruto's eyes fluttered open. It all seemed too suspicious.

Shaking his head, he pushed himself off the wall. The elevator stopped and the door slid open. He stepped out of the elevator, walking to the door and opening it. Stepping inside, he closed the door behind him, flinging his bag onto the couch as he walked to the living room. "Jiraiya?" he called.

"In here!" replied Jiraiya from his study room.

Naruto turned and walked to the room. He stood by the door frame, watching as Jiraiya scribbled away on a new plot for his novel. "Jiraiya..." he began, "Do you know why my parents were killed?"

His question seem to have shocked Jiriaya because the old man immediately stopped writing and sat frozen. Naruto waited for an answer, but none came. Sighing, he turned his body so his back was leaning on the frame instead. "I heard...my friend, Gaara, his uncle was killed too. Murdered, a few months after mom and dad were murdered. Did you know, Gaara's uncle, Yashamaru, was the one who first helped my dad get a job. It's almost like...their deaths were linked. I know you told me I should stop searching, but...I can't just stop. I need to know why my parents were murdered...was it really just a random attack or was it all planned out?" Naruto flicked his eyes to the old man, but Jiraiya kept his back to him. A rush of rage surged through him. He wanted answers. He wasn't a child anymore and he deserved to know! His parents were killed, his mother raped and murdered before his eyes. He needed to know who those men were and why they attacked them. "I know the faces of those men. I still remember their faces like it was yesterday. I know their names...Kabuto, Kazuku...and that damn, fucking rapist, Hidan. I can't just let his injustice continue!" he yelled.

His voice stirred Jiraiya from his seat. The old man whirled around, eyes scrutinizing on him. Naruto took a step back, watching with wide eyes as the old man stalked toward him and hovered over him. This was the very man who had taken him and taught him how to use his powers. In the five years he lived with Jiraiya, he had finally learned to control it and even use it properly. However, Jiraiya was strong. If he ever fought against him, he knew he would lose.

"Naruto...what do you think of being a hero?" Jiraiya asked.

Confused, Naruto blinked and frowned, "What?"

"Your parents named you after a character in my novel...he was a hero. So, what do you think of becoming a hero?"

"I...I don't know."

"Minato once told me as a child you wanted to help people."

"I was a kid then."

"So you no longer believe in that?"

"I mean...I don't even know how I can."

"Minato said you didn't want to use your power to hurt people."

"Maybe not innocent people..." he mumbled.

"So you would use it to kill the men who murdered Minato and Kushina?" Jiraiya asked, left eyebrow ticking up.

Naruto felt his body still. He looked away from Jiraiya's intense gaze and replied, "I don't know...I've never killed a man before. I don't think I could..."

"Follow me, Naruto," Jiraiya said and walked passed him.

Tilting his head curiously, Naruto trailed behind Jiraiya as he led them out of the apartment complex. They circled around the building and came to a door leading below somewhere. Naruto thought it would be the sewers, but then he saw Jiraiya flick a switch and a pad emerged from the door. Raising his brows, he watched as the old man entered a code and the door clicked. Jiraiya opened it and slowly descended. Naruto peeked inside, finding only darkness. Swallowing slowly, he climbed inside, jumping slightly when the door closed above him. Darkness enveloped him, leaving with no sight. His hands fumbled to grasp the wall, finding it seconds later. Using it was his guidance, he slowly moved down the stair, step by step. Eventually, he saw a light at the end of the staircase. Glad that there was light, he hurried the last few steps, nearly missing the last step, but caught himself. He landed safely and glanced up. The sight before him cause him to suck in a breath. A large metal door blocked their way. He slowly caught up to Jiraiya, eyes still latched onto the mental door. "What...is this place?" Naruto asked.

"My secret hide out," Jiraiya answered amusingly.

"What?"

"You'll see."

Suddenly, another number pad lock appeared on the door. Jiraiya entered another code, but the door didn't open. Instead, a small box sliding door opened and a camera twisted out. A light blue beam flashed out, scanning Jiraiya's eyes.

"Identity confirmed," said a robotic female voice.

The door rumbled, creaking open as it shook. Naruto jumped as the door swung inward, revealing a room full of large computer screens, blinking lights, and beeping sounds. His jaw dropped as he went inside, still trailing behind Jiraiya. He swirled around and around, taking in his surrounding. It was like he was in some kind of sci-fi movie.

"Over here Naruto," Jiraiya said.

Stumbling over his feet, Naruto made his way over to Jiraiya. He stopped in his tracks and stared at glass case. Inside the case was a full body, black suit that came up to the top of the neck. And orange symbol of a swirl and a pointed arrow stretched across the chest area. A utility belt hung around its waist. Boots and gloves were placed to the side. Naruto's eyes traveled up the suit and stopped on a black mask in the shape of fox eyes which stared back at him.

"This is a suit I made in hopes of you becoming a hero. If you choose to don its identity, you will fight, not only for the answers behind your parents' death, but also for the people of this city. You will become a shadow of the night, a hope for the people...you will fight for justice. A hero. But it is for you to decide. And if you do take it...I will teach you one more technique," Jiraiya said, turning around to face him.

Naruto fell silent, staring at the suit before him. The old man walked passed him and left him alone to his thoughts. Stepping closer to the glass case, Naruto pressed his hand against it. The window made a sound. The front slid up, allowing him to step up and inside the case. Slowly, his hands drew out and touched the material. It was rough underneath his fingertips, but meant to protect him and in turn, he would protect the people. He traced the symbol on the chest, feeling a tug on his heart. Long ago, he had asked Minato if he could use his power to help people. Now was his chance, but was he willing to risk his life for it. If he did, he would find the answers to his parents' murder as well. Taking in a deep breath, he exhaled slowly. Bring his gaze up, he stared at the mask again. He would take it...

Dressed in the black suit, he walked out of the underground quarters. Jiraiya had said the suit would enhance his powers. Frowning, he concentrated on bringing the flaming heat inside his body outside, to envelope him like a shield. The orange flames took shape of a fox as it wrapped around his body and then immersed itself into the suit. Smiling slowly, he turned to the wall and pressed his hand against it. Claws shot out, emitting an orange hue, allowing him to climb up the wall. Quickly, he scuttle up the building and leaped to another. He jumped from building to building, feeling the cold brisk wind whip against his face. Finally, he stopped on a sky scraper and climbed up till he reached the top of the building. Squatting on the top, he let his eyes scan the city below him. The sound of cars honking and twinkling lights bombarded his sight. In the distance, he could hear music ringing and babies crying. He stood slowly, his body frame donned in the suit, standing tall and proud. This was going to be his city; the city he would protect.

* * *

**A/N: **And so, Naruto dons the suit and mask, hehe. This isn't a high school fanfic, just letting the readers know. I know I had a bit of info on it, but it's really going to skip through school. Most of the story will be taking place at night where Naruto will be fighting against crime. So, I need some suggestions for a superhero name for Naruto. Please help me out. I'm having a little bit of difficulty thinking of one. DX So far though, I have:

Ember Fox

Fox Guardian

Fox Demon

Red Fox

Fire Fox ( No, I wasn't even thinking of Mozilla Firefox when I thought of this. XD )

Fox King

They all sound kind of...lame to me. v.v So, I need help picking one or if you have any suggestions, let me knew. Review, please! It's what keeps me going.


End file.
